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The Viper And The Leech

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Tomas de Iriarte

Literary Fables of Yriarte

Ticknor And Fields, London

1855

Spain

The Viper And The Leech: malice, exploitation, harmful natures, corruption, predation, mutual danger, vice, parasitism, poison, moral contamination

Public Domain (copyright expired)

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The Viper And The Leech

"A strangely inconsistent crew!"--
Said the Viper to the simple Leech,--
"Men fly from me and seek for you;
Although they get a bite from each."

"All very true,"--the Leech replied,--
"But the two things are different quite.
I bite the sick, to give them aid;
To kill the sound and well, you bite."

Now, gentle reader, with you take
This counsel, as we part:
And always due distinction make,
If from the lash you smart.
Great is the difference between
Correction kind and malice keen.

Folktales, Fairytales, myths, legends, stories, fantasy